| Sea to Shore Alliance News May 2011 |
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| Meet the 2011 Manatees! |
 | | image by Jennifer McGee |
As part of the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP), Sea to Shore will track eight rehabilitated and released manatees this year to help ensure they are adapting well to the wild. The information Sea to Shore gathers through monitoring and tracking helps the MRP better prepare rehabilitated manatees for release back into the wild. Visit www.wildtracks.org to meet the 2011 manatees and follow their progress. Click on the video below to see Sea to Shore tag two of the 2011 manatees.  | | Sea to Shore Alliance Tags and Releases Two Endangered Florida Manatees |
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News from the Field: Cuba
|  Dr. James "Buddy" Powell was back to Cuba in February with representatives from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Vice President Barry Lowenkron and Program Officer Steve Cornelius. The group traveled with Jorge Angulo Valdés and Anmari Alvarez Alemán from Cuba's Center for Marine Investigations along with representatives from the Cuban government to visit field sites at the Isle of Youth. On the second day of the trip, the group saw five manatees in the San Pedro River and could see first-hand how important the region is to the survival of Isle of Youth manatees. Click here to read more on Buddy's trip to Cuba. |
Sea to Shore Receives Boat Donation
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Mr. Robert Bunting, a seasonal resident of St. Simons Island, Georgia, recently made the generous donation of a Grady White Sailfish to Sea to Shore Alliance. Mr. Bunting is an avid fisherman and an enthusiastic supporter of conservation efforts.
We are so excited and grateful for this incredible gift. This vessel will serve Sea to Shore projects for many years to come; it's currently being utilized by the staff at our Jacksonville Electrical Authority project and will also be used for future right whale research and conservation efforts.
A heartfelt thank you to Mr. Bunting for his kind and generous contribution.
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Sea Turtle Stewardship Program Grows
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Our community stewardship program, NESTS, (Neighbors Ensuring Sea Turtle Survival) has seen tremendous success in recent months with support from the Sea Turtle License Plate Grant Program and the Folke H. Peterson Foundation. NESTS encourages coastal residents and businesses to engage in simple activities that benefit nesting sea turtles, their nests, and hatchlings. These activities include turning off lights at night during nesting season, picking up trash, supporting sea turtle conservation, and educating themselves and others about sea turtles and conservation.
Since January, Sea to Shore staff and volunteers have attended seven events in Florida and registered more than 70 new program participants. It's easy to get involved and make a difference - just sign up for the program or go to www.turtlenests.org and pick fun activities to do.
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Pregnant Manatee in Belize Killed by Boat
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To date, 2011 has been a particularly deadly year for Belize's endangered Antillean manatees, with three deaths as of March 31. There were a total of 18 manatees found dead in 2010.
Sea to Shore provides scientific expertise to conservation managers in Belize who establish sanctuaries and speed zones to ensure manatee survival.
Click here to read Sea to Shore's Jamal Galves' interview with Channel 5 News following the discovery of a pregnant manatee dead off the coast of Belize City.
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Sea to Shore at LEEF Conference
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Sea to Shore Alliance was represented at the annual League of Environmental Educators of Florida conference in Starke, Florida, March 25 - 27. University of Florida doctoral candidate and Sea to Shore student activity coordinator Jennifer McGee manned the event for us, talking to teachers about our programs and outreach. Thanks for the support, Jennifer!
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Manatee Aerial Survey Project Nears Completion
| The two year manatee aerial survey project in Palm Beach County, Florida, is nearing its completion. The goal of the project was to obtain current information on manatee distribution in county waters so resource managers can evaluate the manatee protection measures. Started in February 2009, the surveys were expected to end in January 2011, however, because results indicated a very strong seasonal shift in manatee use of local waters, the project was extended through the end of March so it could encompass two full winter seasons.
A summary of findings will be included in a future newsletter, but if you are interested in receiving a copy of the final report, please contact jkoelsch@sea2shore.org. |
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Welcome New Employees
| We are excited to announce the addition of two new employees, Zack Johnson and Brenden Beard, to help with our growing needs in the field.
 Zack is originally from Boston, Massachusetts, and has lived in Florida for 11 years. He previously worked as a marine mammal observer on seismic survey vessels and oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, spending up to five weeks at a time on the water before stepping back on land! When he's not busy observing manatees as part of Sea to Shore's Jacksonville Electrical Authority project, Zack enjoys surfing, riding his motorcycle, and refereeing roller derby in Jacksonville.
 Brenden is a South Florida native. Before joining Sea to Shore as a field tracker in February, Brenden volunteered with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission assisting with manatee rescues and releases, photo ID, and field necropsies. Brenden enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities including diving, photography, and fishing and currently attends Florida Atlantic University where he studies criminal justice, geography, and geographic information systems (GIS) technology.
Brenden is assisting Sea to Shore with manatee tracking in South Florida.
Welcome Zack and Brenden!
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